Friday, October 24, 2008

Picture Time







It's hard to describe life with words all the time, so I thought I would post some of my pics, I am by no means a photographer...so don't judge too hard. There is no encompassing theme, just life!







Sunday, October 19, 2008

Thinking about Us and The World

This weekend I spent a lot of time pondering our existence, purpose, and impact on this fine world. The mission of any life is to be happy living it, while ensuring human kind lives in-sink with the rest of natural, after all we are just animals, correct? Just like any other animal its about survive and ensuring that survival is aligned with the rest of nature, which is what we have failed. Due to our intense hunger for MORE (especially in North America) we have made a mess of this sacred world. Which means its time to make changes. We can't just stand and watch all hell break loose, however what actions do we take? Is there a solid line of what is good vs bad? Or is this line dotted? Here is where I become confused, as expressed in a journal entry I wrote yesterday.

"Humans are such destructive creatures ehh? Garbage disgusts me and so does our over consuming culture in the West, but we can change this. I was at a "Flick off" rally this afternoon arguing the fact that we need to reduce our carbon emissions, stop global warming and rely only on the energy produced by renewables. Its possible! But we need to change now. No more disposable lifestyle, be conscious of our decisions and how they impact our world. With that said I did go to the Farmer's Market for local produce today. I wasn't planning on buying anything till later this week, but I can't walk past those beautiful rows of produce without buying something!! With bags full of vegetables I ventured over to the coffee shop to read my book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle." She (the author) is discussing the morals behind eating meat and it really does challenge my vegan motives. She hits home when she says a lot of people become vegan because of the factory farming industry and its harsh treatment of both animals and the environment. TRUE! But then she explains situations where raising animals (as free beings) to eventually be consumed after a long, happy life can actually be beneficial to the environment(ie. goats in Piura, Peru). So what morals do I hold on to? I, personally, will continue to enjoy the vegan food-land, however perhaps I should not be so judgemental about family and friends eating animal products if those products are local-organic-free-range. Its not so much the physical eating of the meat that I am against, rather how the meat is raised and its impact on the world. Thoughts to ponder..."

Then I went to a vegan potluck and my thoughts got even more muddled up with the discussions I had with the people who I was sitting with. But good muddling, and amazing people, I need more of these types of people in my life, to understand and accept the views but also challenge them to make you grow and become wiser all in one foul swoop. 

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Thanksgiving

Its 6am on friday before thanksgiving and I can't sleep. I just am so excited about thanksgiving and going home! I think I'm crazy deciding to write a post now, but I don't think my body will sleep any longer, it could have bad repercussions for work, but we will see.

Thanksgiving is such a beautiful time of the year, its when all the leaves change colours, it gets just cold enough outside to snuggle up to your friends and family and drink tea/hot chocolate indoors after running around in natures confetti(leaves). However, everyday I am also so bluntly aware of how our world is changing due to human kinds follies. I hear of the global warming, do projects for PDEng on the growing "plastic soup" in the ocean, and work with energy charts finger pointing at all the wasted energy that is consumed everyday by buildings all over the place. 

What have we done? How did we get to this point? Believing that convenience was better then community, our health, and the worlds health? Our style of eating on the run and instantly has taken away from our craving for human interaction and community. Cooking is fun, its fun to create new inventions over the stove top, have pot lucks and swap compliments, recipes, and laughs...so where has this all gone? Its coming back, perhaps that's only my jaded view since I am such a strong advocate of it, but I do see a come back with people being aware of our destructive lifestyles. I never really appreciate the excitements and stress release that can unfold in the kitchen till I became vegan, forcing me to be creative and cook most of my food myself. This has its pros and cons. 

Pros because, although initially my baking was not a big seller with the family, they all love the baked goods I make, which is a wonderful feeling. Secondly, I have come to appreciate the time, energy, and struggles that my mom put into every meal we ate growing up, and I am so grateful for that. 

The negative side is its hard (at least in any non-major city like waterloo) to go out for dinner where a vegan can actually eat something. This tends to lead to me spending lots of time in the kitchen, and always thinking up new fun things to cook, which can be time consuming when there are other things on your plate, especially in school, when, as I told my cousin one day, "I feel like all I ever do is cook, eat, and study!" However, this is no reason to stop being (some days falling and eating something I later realize had dairy, but dusting myself off and continuing on) vegan, it just means we need to keep strong, and encourage venues to become more veggi friendly. 

With all the scares around meat and dairy out there, I don't see why they wouldn't. Did you know that with all this controversy over using crops for bio fuels instead of food (since its argued that its contributing to the world shortage in food, which I don't disagree with) they never mention that SEVEN times that amount is used to feed animals in conventional livestock factories every day(VegNews Oct/2008 ed.). These factories also produce around 25% to 33% of the worlds greenhouse gases. 

I'm not proposing that y'all suddenly stop eating animal products, that would be somewhat wishful, but unrealistic thinking on my part. Rather take a step back and know what your decisions are doing, make educated choices, buy locally, and if you eat animal products try to make them local free-range, not just for the animals and the enviro but for you too! I know its more expense, HELLO I'M A STUDENT!, but the money is not a big deal when you think about how necessary food is!

Before I go any further, I want to share a beautiful quote I came across yesterday by the genius boy himself:

A human being is part of the whole, called by us the Universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourself, our thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest -- a kind of optical delusion of our consciousness.

This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.

Albert Einstein

I am so thankful for everything I have been blessed with. I went to the war museum in Ottawa yesterday after work, and first of all, that building is amazing, I love it! I didn't get to see it all, but its pretty awesome. Second of all, I went to the exhibit of Eugenics that was going on looking into the scientific history of the study of "perfecting" the human race both before the rise of Hitler and during his rise and fall. And wow, its pretty scary stuff. In a way you can see how people would believe it though, which I think is what is so scary about it. What there stopping it from happening again? Seeing the images of all of the gas chamber victims, and the children who were killed since they were deemed "Life not worth living" was so horrible. I can't even express the intense devastating feelings this brought up in me, and is bringing up again as I type. But there it was. How did all those physicians justify killing all those people? That's what scares me.

However, let the past be the past, let us learn from it so it may stay in the past! Now the weekend of thanksgiving is upon us, and after reflecting on all I have written I really do have so much to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving everyone (well at least all you Canadians)!


Sunday, October 5, 2008

Fabulous Food

On Sunday I made food in the morning. I guess you could say the kitchen is my church. One of the dishes I made was "Gobi Fry", using the recipe from http://homespice.blogspot.com and I must say I'm pretty impressed. Dispite the fact that I was missing some of the spices, and added onion and chickpeas-- I felt very indian. Some times I wish I was indian, they are so colourful and their food and spirituality is beautiful. When I took it to work on yesterday I wowed the two Indian guys in my office--yea thats right this white girl's got some wicked indian cooking skills! 

Other yummys that have erupted from the kitchen this week include: sauted brussel sprouts(seriously guys they are soo good, I don't know why brussel sprouts get such a bad rep.), peanut butter molasses cookies, tofu "steak" with fried onions(recipe from www.vegweb.com), really garlicy-good humus, and spicy-molasses-roasted nuts. Oh and tonight after yoga I came home and had a second dinner of creamy squash soup and toast. Sorry about the lack of pictures...I have a few of the recipes though if you want them, a lot of stuff I just wing though!

I can't seem to be able to copy and paste my recipes...they are still to come...

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Fall



If any of you are stuck somewhere foreign, or far away from your friends I suggest you take a look around. Its fall, and my favorite season! No matter where you are (in Ontario) the colours of fall are blooming: Orange, red, yellow, even the browns are beautiful. I took photos today and I will be soon uploading! I have no doubt that people most likely thought I was a wierdo, but when you have no friends, what does it matter? 

Speaking of fall, I am attempting to be conscious of eating seasonally, due to strong influence from the book I am currently reading, "Vegetable, Animal, Miracle", therefore today I bought apples, onions, brussel sprouts, carrots, peppers, and squash...which are all so yummy and in season! I went to the market, where I normally go for the produce, so that is definately another plus! Anyone have a good recipe for squash though? I have this Japanese Pumpkin recipe, that I am just going to impose onto squash and hope for the best, but if anyone has good ones, let me know! Last week I bought squash and made soup and this yummy cake (adapted from VegNews' recipe in their Sept. 2008 ed.), I love the squash and pumpkin action! Well, tomorrow is cooking day, so I will figure something out!

Other then colours and vegetables, I went to this cute place on Bank St. "Nuts about Life" and bought dried strawberries...has anyone tried these?! They are soo good, superior to most candies!



They look kinda ugly though. 

Over and out (back to watching Big Bang Theory)